Cessna 172L accident near Lexington, Tennessee, May 23, 2006
On May 23, 2006 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N7624G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington, Tennessee (Mc Kellar-Sipes Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2006 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lexington, Tennessee · Mc Kellar-Sipes Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N7624G · registry record · serial 17259324
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that upon arrival at the destination airport he entered a left downwind for runway 20. He noticed while on short final that the airplane was high over the numbers and he reduced power with full flaps extended. The pilot stated that when he reached the midfield point over the runway, he realized that the landing was to long, and "decided that his chances of getting the airplane stopped on the runway were better than aborting the landing". After the airplane landed he locked up the brakes and slid off the end of the runway, down an embankment, and into trees. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 685 hours in all; 525 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: December 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,455 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2005; 143 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKL Jackson TN at 11:00 pm
- Destination: M52 Lexington TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 6,006 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from KM52
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.